LESLIE: Rick in Texas, you’ve got The Money Pit. How can we help you today?

RICK: Yes, I have a built-on patio roof to my house. It’s made of fiberglass and when it rains real heavily the water backs up against the house and I was wondering if an improved gutter system would make a difference.

TOM: Well, the patio is like a second-floor patio that you walk out on? Is that what happens?

RICK: Yes, sir.

TOM: Hey, Rick, tell me exactly how the water is flowing. How exactly is it backing up?

RICK: The water flows over the middle of the roof and it builds up against the house. And it does have a gutter system currently on it.

TOM: Right.

RICK: I was just wondering if a bigger gutter system – more gutter or a big gutter would help get the water off the roof.

TOM: Well, it certainly would. The standard gutter is a K-style five-inch gutter but you can put a bigger gutter on there. You can go with a six-inch gutter. It actually will hold a lot more water. Gutters are designed so that one downspout will handle 600 to 800 square feet of roof surface.

RICK: OK.

TOM: And so if you have more roof than that going into a single downspout, you’re going to get a backup. Of course, I’m assuming you checked to make sure there’s no blockage there.

RICK: Correct.

TOM: But if it’s clean and free-flowing – it just has so much water going into it that it’s overflowing – then yeah, you can put a bigger gutter in there and it’s something that any gutter company can install for you.

RICK: OK, great. Thank you very much for that.

TOM: Rick, we hope that helps you out. Thanks so much for calling us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.